1. Art and Diseño

MennoExpressions
A publication of First Mennonite Church of Indianapolis, Indiana
Volume 28, No. 2
February 1, 2015
Conflicting Truths
Interpreting Scriptures Differently: Literal Versus Contextual
Wilma Ann Bailey
Recently, I attended a concert at a
local theater. During intermission, a
woman chatted with her friend who
was sitting next to me. “What do
you think of the concert?” asked the
woman. “It was absolutely
fantastic!” answered her friend. I
was able to eavesdrop on their
conversation for a while even
though I had no idea what language
they were speaking: not French, not
German, not Italian, not Spanish,
not Russian, not Dutch and
definitely not English. How could I
follow their conversation when I did
not know their language? Context.
We were listening to a concert. The
friends were sitting in separate
places during the concert. What
would be the first thing anyone
would say when she rejoins her
friend during the intermission? A
few words that overlapped with
English and their language, the
length of their sentences, facial
expressions and hand gestures
allowed me to fill in the blanks.
When we read the Bible, there are
several contexts that we have to take
into consideration. The original
context out of which a text emerged,
such as a king’s written edict, a
letter of Paul to a particular
congregation, a prophetic statement
to a people who are about to be
conquered, a fireside story told to
children to teach ethical values. A
second context is that in which the
text appears in the collection that we
call the Bible. Each of what we refer
to as books was originally a separate
piece that was placed in a particular
order in a particular part of the
Bible at a later time. If Jonah is
translated into English. And English
requires grammatical aspects that
the ancient languages did not
necessarily have (such as tense: past,
present, future and punctuation).
All of the translations that exist
have already been interpreted as
soon as they appear in English.
According to the Gospel of
Matthew, Jesus said, “whenever you
pray, go into your room and shut
the door…” (6:6, NRSV). A person
who reads literally might do just
that, never praying in a public place
or even church. A reader who does
not read literally will notice that the
context is a lecture on hypocrisy. Do
not pray for the wrong reason, to
feed your ego or display your piety.
Domestic Objects /
Fragmented Space
Lisa Habegger
placed among the prophets,
would read it differently than
were placed between Psalms
Proverbs. A third context is
context today. We tend to read
interpret the Bible based on
context in which we live.
we
if it
and
our
and
the
It would be helpful to begin with a
literal translation of the Bible. But
there are no literal translations of
the Bible. “Translation is
interpretation,” as the old saying
goes. There are aspects of the
biblical languages (Hebrew, Greek
and Aramaic) that cannot be
Some people think that it is
impossible to know what these
ancient texts meant in their original
language and context. However, I
would argue that understanding is
possible though it may take time
and effort. I was able to understand
the women in the theater because
we have a lot in common as human
beings, even if we have different
languages and cultural contexts. To
deny that ancient texts can be
understood is to deny the humanness of the persons to whom they
were addressed.
Wilma Ann Bailey attends Shalom
Mennonite Church. She enjoys reading,
walking and hiking, traveling to foreign
and domestic locations, teaching and
learning.
2 MennoExpressions February 1, 2015
Editor’s Note
When we lived in Peru during Sam’s sabbatical, we
volunteered with Manos Amigas, a fair trade exporter. Our
main project was to interview the artisans that worked with
Manos Amigas and write their stories for future use as
education and marketing materials.
We loved this assignment for a number of reasons. The
artisans’ lives and backstories were fascinating and we felt
privileged to be entrusted with part of their story. It put a face
on the products that Global Gifts sells. Our long bus rides
through the huge city took us far, far beyond the relatively
comfortable neighborhoods we knew and into places in Lima
we would never have visited otherwise. It was a family
adventure, with 2-year-old Simon along for every interview
and bus ride. And, needless to say, the project deepened our
commitment to fair trade.
Back at the office, as I wrote a narrative from pages of notes, I
would occasionally come across differing versions of an event.
Both versions couldn’t possibly be true; the facts couldn’t have
been correct in both instances. But yet, both versions had to be
true, since each was someone’s story.
Artists
Lisa Habegger’s paintings appear on pages
1, 3, and 12. “Life is busy. I spend a lot of
time at work, being a mom, and being a
‘guard mom’ for Bethany and the Ben
Davis color guard.” Her “truths” are
moments spent with her daughters and
embracing art.
Annabella Habegger is a sophomore at IUBloomington and plans to enter the digital
arts BFA program this fall. Her artwork is
on pages 2, 8, and 11.
Bethany Habegger spends a lot of her time
practicing for color guard, learning in school
and creating art. Her current truth? “A
pencil and a piece of paper are all I need.”
Her artwork is on page 10.
For example, Alejandro and Emilio are brothers. Emilio is the
eldest of four, Alejandro the youngest. We interviewed them,
each in his own workshop, and each told us how their father
had died when they were very young, that their mother had
remarried three months later and left them and their siblings to
fend for themselves, and Emilio had to leave school and work
to support himself and his three siblings.
But their stories differ on their ages when their father died.
Emilio says he was 13 or 14, and that Alejandro was 6.
Alejandro told us that he was 3 when his father died and
Emilio was 12 when he had to start supporting the family.
Both are true, since each of them is allowed the truth of his
own story. But they can’t both be factually correct. Does it
matter? I don’t think it does, although I was initially worried
when I thought of Manos Amigas clients who might read both
Emilio and Alejandro’s stories and wonder at our fact-checking
ability.
It’s stayed with me, made me wonder about the nature of truth
when I try to figure out what is “true” in any given situation.
When I read my favorite authors and find contradictory
accounts like this, I love it since it adds complexity to the story.
When I encounter it in real life I am not always as appreciative:
I want to know the right answer! Yet the right answer is that
there is no truth, perhaps. Or, as one of our fair
trade friends said, “there are multiple truths.”
There are conflicting truths—and multiple
truths—in these pages. What truth speaks the
loudest to you? - AS
Stuck
Annabella Habegger
MennoExpressions 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
without written consent from the editor.
Editorial Board: Kenda Resler Friend, Abri Hochstetler, John
Hofstetter, Marj Rush Hovde, Mary Liechty, Paul Shankland,
Michele West, Cara Yoder.
Editor: Alison Schumacher
MennoExpressions is published six times a year by First Mennonite
Church, on the first Sunday in February, April, July, October, and
December, with an additional, special graduation issue in May. Any
correspondence should be sent to the editor at 4601 Knollton Rd.,
Indianapolis, IN 46228; email: [email protected].
February 1, 2015 MennoExpressions 3
Less Stuff, More Life
Melissa Willis
I didn’t set out to become a minimalist. After all,
minimalists live in cold living spaces with white bare
walls and they never shop. This wasn’t me. I’ve spent the
majority of my life happily shopping and accumulating
all sorts of things. I bought bins and baskets to
attractively organize all my things. There was always
something to organize and always something to buy.
I’ve learned on my journey, however, minimalism isn’t
about bare walls and never setting foot in a store; it’s
about eliminating the unnecessary to leave room for the
more important things of life, which are rarely “things.”
How did my minimizing journey begin? 2010 was a
difficult year for Aaron and me. We had just relocated to
Indy, Aaron lost his job shortly thereafter and I was
rebuilding my piano studio. Out of necessity we lived on
a shoestring budget and needs were paramount to
wants. As a coping mechanism, I felt I needed to
embrace this new living situation by exploring books on
simple living, living with less, and spending less.
Interestingly, Aaron and I also began attending FMC that
same year and it’s through those doors that the seed was
planted. The first Sunday school class I attended
discussed the ills of materialism and consumerism,
which fit perfectly with trying to live on a small budget.
Not long after that, Ryan gave on a sermon on Luke 3:11.
“In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share
with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do
likewise.” (RSV)
I came home that day appalled not at the number of
coats I owned, but the number of sweaters. Suffice it to
say the number was greater than 50. I was embarrassed
and felt selfish and greedy. I parted with several and
made a decision that day to try to live more simply. It
was a constant challenge; I easily fell into my old habits
of accumulating, shopping and more storage bins for
organizing and reorganizing. Nonetheless, I kept reading
books and trying to move in the direction of simpler
living. Four years later, that small seed finally took hold
and blossomed.
In June 2014, I attended a music workshop in
Washington DC. It was a workshop I’d wanted to attend
since 2006, but circumstances never seemed quite right.
Last summer I took the plunge, doing whatever needed
to attend. I was full of excitement and anticipation until
the actual day grew closer. I became riddled with nerves.
I didn’t know anyone else attending. On my own, I
would have to navigate a 60-90 minute train ride on DC
Broken Nest (Bird - Twigs - Landscape)
Lisa Habegger
public transit. I felt like I was going to summer camp or
college for the first time. In the end I conquered my fears
and left with a new sense of confidence and purpose I’d
not experienced before.
Why was DC the lightbulb moment? I’m not sure;
perhaps it was the many long train rides in solitude for
reflection, perhaps it was the opportunity for an
intensive week of professional development, perhaps it
was our incredibly inspirational instructor and the
brilliantly streamlined and engaging materials she
created to teach music theory. I do know there exists, for
me, a distinct line between life before and after this
workshop. The idea of streamlined teaching and needing
less to teach more gradually overflowed into all other
areas of my life. I didn’t need everything, I only needed
what was essential, what was important, and that
became (and continues to take the form of) less and less
“stuff.”
I started making multiple dropoffs to the local Goodwill.
Our recycle bin overflowed by collection day. The more I
donated and discarded, the easier it became to give away
more. I experienced a sense of freedom and breathing
space I’d not felt before. It was an unexpected high. At
the same time I was sending things out, I needed to
control what was coming in. I put a spending
moratorium on categories like clothes, books, home
decor and music. I required myself to use what I already
I owned. If one new thing came in the house, I sent
several items out. I stopped shopping as a recreational
activity. I immediately threw catalogs in the recycle bin
and didn’t click on e-mails with online sales. I let go of
Continued on page 9
4 MennoExpressions February 1, 2015
During Advent, Shannon and Steve gave several intensely personal sermons that referenced prominent, recent cases of conflict between
blacks and law enforcement. I listened as others shared their feelings, including frustration, anguish, and anger, during sermon responses.
There were references to the different worlds that whites and blacks live in, and that while blacks may always be aware of ways in which the
white world is different, many whites are not aware that a black world exists at all. How do we make the world that many people of color
experience visible, real, felt, understood (at least partially) to those of us with white privilege? I asked two FMC participants if I could
interview them about these issues; they were gracious to accept and share much of their history and perspective with me, too much to fit
into these short pages. Excerpts appear here. Any errors or misinterpretations are my own. - AS
Bridging Worlds • Excerpts from an interview with Charles Webb
On becoming a pastor
I went to college to teach music, and was directing a
choir at a church in Enid, Oklahoma, and for some
reason, a committee asked me to preach when the pastor
wasn’t going to be there. I enjoyed it. And it began an
internal process, it was a stirring.
So I went to seminary in Indy, and [afterwards took part
in] a training program called clinical pastoral education,
[which] takes place in a hospital. I worked in neonatal. I
was [also] an ER chaplain and I think the most important
thing I did during the time was [change the rape
protocol]. It was pretty cruel. A woman [would] come in;
first thing she’d see was two cops [who tended to ask
questions along the lines of], “What were you wearing?”
They were more accusatory. We put in place [that]
female nurses would care for the victim, would give the
rape kit through [them], would provide a buffer between
the hospital setting and the criminal justice system. We
could give folks some time and space. And often as the
chaplain on duty I had the authority to say [to the
officers], “That’s enough.” But we put in place a protocol
to more humanely help a person through the process of
interrogation. It was pretty terrible for awhile. And that
was a long time ago.
Then I went to LA. with a band – I played bass – and
played probably five years. And the Sunday after the
Friday we broke up, the pastor quit where I was
attending. Within six months I was the full-time pastor.
The way I look at it is, God gave me the chance to live
my dream [of being a musician]. [Maybe God was
saying,] “Get that out of the way; maybe I can use you
after you get that out of your system.” It was grace.
Then I came back to take a job in 1995; I was the director
of black ministries within the Disciples of Christ. That
was my favorite job; eight years I did it.
On recent events between police officers and African
Americans
A bunch of us went to see Selma [recently]. In a visual or
visceral sense I experience Ferguson and Selma much the
same. They didn’t look or feel that much different;
overwhelming forces beating and clubbing the people. I
kept hoping that black and white people in positions of
power would try to defuse the buildup of tension and
remembered pain but it did not happen.
I feel there was/and is a permissiveness in the country,
[an idea that] “those people must somehow deserve it.”
How do men and women of faith allow brothers and
sisters to be treated like that? Cruelty to dogs elicited
more outcry. How does a people contain the frustration
of the ages, how do we stifle a collective groan? Here it is
happening again, and again, and again. And people let it
happen.
[I hope] that leadership will emerge in Ferguson that will
help people construct a long-term plan that will have
some economic consequence and effect [real] change.
Rioting, being mad and hurt doesn’t do it. We’ve got to
have a plan; it will take a collective will to put it in place.
For many white people, the police are a source of
comfort, help, and protection. But I know a whole lot of
good citizens, regular people whose life experience is
contrary to that. Average folks who have never had a
positive police experience, nothing yet to convince them
that this person in blue is [their] friend. This is one of
those things about white world/black world. They
should do a study with a heart monitor: show a picture
of a policeman and see how people’s sensory reaction is
different. I think that this gulf between blue and black
ought to be/might be bridged. How do I re-learn my
now instinctual reaction? How can we interact with each
other to change our perceptions about one another? I
would love to know a different truth.
Building community
How do we interact with this neighborhood that we live
in? How do we be good neighbors, show that we care,
that we are aware that there is pain and struggle? How
do we demonstrate to the community our desire to walk
and talk and pray with them? We have to be very
intentional. And it’s just so easy to stay comfortable.
Why intentionally open myself up to the pain,
discomfort, the joy, the blessing of community?
February 1, 2015 MennoExpressions 5
Recovering From Police Work • Excerpts from an interview with Keith Dwyer
Background & on becoming a
police officer
I’m from Chicago, born in St.
Anne’s Hospital. I lived in the 15th
police district in Austin, the western
side of the city that bordered Oak
Park. The year after I retired from
police work, I worked at Nordstrom
for a little while in security, then in
concierge services. I came to
Indianapolis when they gave me the
opportunity to open up the
concierge department here. I
wanted to explore what private
sector service was like. I hated it. I
didn’t have the skills to deal with
the sense of entitlement that some of
the shoppers bring with them. I
went back to working for the state,
doing child protective services.
That’s how I met my wife. She was
the attending surgeon for one of our
cases. I was reviewing the file,
rea liz ed no one had ever
interviewed her. I thought, I live
here in Indy, I’ll go and interview
her. The rest is history.
I was on the police force from the
late ‘70s to the mid-‘90s. I’m not
sure [what led me on the path to
becoming a cop]. I remember
talking to a cop, he had a Harley
motorcycle. I think I was attracted
to the motorcycle. He talked about
how he loved his job. When he
asked me what I would want to do,
I said, “I want to be a cop.” And I
did. I was around 12 years old. It
stuck with me. I left high school,
spent four years in the Navy. I was
in the West Pacific, in the Gulf of
Tonkin at the end of Vietnam. I
came back and started as a fire &
police dispatcher for the Broadview,
IL police department.
I took the test to become a police
officer in Forest Park and passed. I
grew up in an Archie-Bunker type
of house, where everyone was
[described in a rude, demeaning
way]. This was reinforced in Forest
Park, which is an incredibly racist
police department. Afterwards, I
went to the Naperville police
department. I was looking for
upward mobility. It’s 98% white,
upper middle class, more of the
entitled folks. During that time I
went to Second City for a year for
classes in improv comedy. It was
totally an outlet. The group I was
with, we went around to different
cabarets and did open mikes. It was
fun, almost as exhilarating as
chasing a bank robber down the
Eisenhower Expressway.
African American community at
large was pretty eye- opening. I had
the opportunity to be assigned to a
mutual aid task force when the KKK
demonstrated in Oak Park. I was
one of the people standing in riot
gear in front, between the groups.
The hate was palpable. I’ve walked
into crime scenes and you can feel
the violence that’s happened. You
could just feel it there [at the
demonstration]. On one side was
mostly black protesters, enlightened
white people, lots of crying. I didn’t
see any crying on the part of the
KKK. That touched me pretty
deeply.
The peer culture was just really
racist in the police department. It’s a
struggle to deal with something that
you’re educated in your family to be
racist and be afraid of [minorities],
then also in your work, and then it’s
pretty much our national culture.
And then you are kind of protected
from letting your racism boil to the
surface in a place with Naperville
where everyone is white.
If I were to point to anything, I think
that my studies in liberal arts helped
me move on from being educated in
family and society to harbor racist
views. I have a BA in social work; I
got it in 1985, concurrent with being
on the police force. Most of my
buddies were getting criminal
justice degrees. I just felt like they
were diploma mills. My wife at the
time was getting an MSW. I was the
social work student of the year. I got
exposed to younger students and
the social issues of the time. I think I
grew up. I started to understand the
basic principles and values that
Christianity asked of me. I wouldn’t
go back to the Catholic Church but I
feel like I got a good grounding in
Christian values and beliefs when I
wasn’t running away from them.
Shifting awareness
Every mistake that police officers
make isn’t intentional. You can’t
take out society’s garbage for 20
years and not get the smell of it on
you.
My shift in awareness started
happening in the Navy. I visited a
lot of different cultures. I realized
that everyone feels the same pain,
[although] we don’t react in the
same way. That was the start of it.
It’s not something that I started to
get insight into and then [mimes
angels singing ]. It was the
conglomeration of things that were
wrong in the world at that time.
There wasn’t any single point.
Standing between the KKK and the
On changes that could make a
difference
There are disparate laws that affect
whites and blacks differently and
disproportionally. Take cocaine
laws. Crack cocaine affects more
blacks and carries a longer jail
sentence vs. powder cocaine, which
affects more whites and carries
shorter jail time. The African
Continued on next page
6 MennoExpressions February 1, 2015
Interview with Keith Dwyer,
continued from page 5
American population has lost
generations of fathers to the
injustices of our courts and prisons.
Now, I would talk more and act
less. I trained to be a hostage
ne g o t ia t o r a t N or t h we s te rn
University. I learned to talk. I
learned how to change outcomes. I
talked to a lot of people who
wanted to kill themselves. I talked
to one guy for nine hours one time
at the edge of a quarry. He came off
eventually. I use [that training] still
during my work as an ER nurse.
I get the sense sometimes that our
middle-aged, white legislators
would feel quite comfortable not
providing the services that black,
Hispanic, and poor communities of
any ethnicity need. I think it’s
getting better for each generation. I
don’t think that it’s something that
will happen rapidly. It’s a glacial
process, unfortunately.
We need to quadruple the number
of cops in America to protect
everyone the way they want and
need to be protected. Community
policing as a concept is very good.
Bring the police force closer to the
community. Take vacant homes and
give low interest rates to police
officers so that they’ll be part of that
community. Assign police officers to
specific communities so they are
more integrated into the
community. Currently there are
large districts, patrol beats within
those districts. But keep them in one
[smaller] section, they’ll know the
people who are troublemakers,
beating their wives, who the
business owners are. The
community needs to be able to
accept them, and help them in their
pursuit to make their communities
safe.
On recent events between police
officers and African Americans
Ferguson was a tragedy but it could
have been prevented by either of
those two men. Darren Wilson, the
police officer who drove up and
demanded that they get off the
street, didn’t use very good
judgment. [He] could have gotten
out of the car and talked to them.
Michael Brown should not have
assaulted the officer in his car. The
officer could have stayed in the car
and called for backup. How many
points in that story, in the incredibly
long line of events that was
Ferguson, could have been
changed? If Ferguson had a
predominantly black police force, if
Wilson had used better people
skills, if Brown hadn’t just robbed a
store. But it didn’t start there. The
police department could surely
have been more racially
representative of their community,
and the community has had it in
their power for some time to control
their destiny at the ballot box. The
reaction of the community
afterwards was predictable. That is
the kind of anger that is just
bubbling under the surface. Take
the lid off and it comes over the
sides.
Now, Eric Garner. They murdered
him. Everyone on that scene should
have been fired because someone
should have stopped that. That was
obscene. I feel a very strong sense of
camaraderie and loyalty with police
officers. I don’t when… they kill the
very people they have sworn to
protect. It wasn’t premeditated, but
they killed him. For a commercial
tax violation!?!?!?!
Racism felt personally
It is painful sometimes to be with
my stepchildren and Priscilla and
see how people look at us, treat us. I
remember on Priscilla’s 16 th
birthday, we were all out: Karen
and I, four biracial kids, one African
American kid. These people just
kept staring at us. My stepson Caleb
said, “I’m going to talk to them.” I
told him, “No, wait; wait until they
do it again.” They looked over again
and I took a picture of them. They
left. Do I think I know how black
people feel because of my
experiences? Absolutely not.
Recovery from police work
I’m a private person, private with
my faith. I didn’t know what church
I would go to when I got married.
Karen’s working group had to
approve of me first. First Mennonite
embraces three pillars. Police work and my recovery from it – have
been a journey. The focus on peace,
justice, and service to each other has
been a triple antioxidant. I thought
that might be a good place to start.
I’ve been coming here for 18 years.
There have always been very few
black people. It didn’t ever seem
that there was purposeful inclusion
of African Americans or a desire to
recruit them. The last few years it’s
changed dramatically.
The First Mennonite environment
has been key to my recovery. I don’t
feel I will ever recover fully but it’s
helped me put it into perspective.
“I’ve had very adrenaline-filled jobs.
I’ve been a paramedic at Riley and
Methodist, a flight paramedic with
LifeLine, now I’ve
been an ER nurse
for five years.
We’re retiring in
November.” Does
he feel like he’s seen
it all? “Yes, until
the next time I see
something new.”
February 1, 2015 MennoExpressions 7
Two Funerals
Cara Yoder
The purpose of this article is not to discuss death,
though it does involve death, and it doesn’t
necessarily center around The Fault in Our Stars by
John Green, despite citing the text as much as a book
report. Instead it is about people. Specifically, it is
about how people act differently around family
members rather than around friends or around
complete strangers, and about all the conflicting
characteristics of people that make them who they are.
Augustus Waters is one of the main characters of The
Fault in Our Stars and the only one who dies. This is
important to know because his death is an extreme
instance in which one can seriously reflect upon who
Gus was. Around different people Gus changed how
he acted and thought and lived and was basically a
different person depending upon who he was with.
Hence the extreme difference in the tone and style of
his two funerals. The prefuneral, organized by Gus,
was closure for himself, so he could rest assured his
friends would continue to know him as a “selfaggrandizing bastard…[who] knew more about how
to hold a cigarette than any nonsmoker in
history” (295). He wanted to have people who
remembered him as he wanted them to, rather than
how his concerned classmates knew him only as a
sweet boy who liked basketball, or a guy who bravely
battled cancer and was known for only how he died.
Gus’ friends freely shared their feelings about him
and his imperfections during the prefuneral, but none
of it was said in the official one which was intended to
give closure to his family. Instead Hazel Lancaster,
Gus’ girlfriend, tells his parents, “he loved [them] so
much,” (308) because Gus is their perfect, handsome,
wonderful, loving son. His parents wanted to hear
this from someone else to affirm that Gus made the
same difference in another’s life as he did in theirs.
The truth is Gus is all of this, except that he didn’t like
basketball. It is true that some of the descriptions of
him conflict with each other, but that doesn’t make
them any less true; they all describe him as an
imperfect human being, or as a loving spirit, and Gus
was both of these. Like everyone else, Gus behaved
differently around different people to be perceived as
the best version of himself to those he cared for. To
strangers and acquaintances he was brave, to friends
he was daring, and to family he was loving, but he
was still the same person. He changed how he acted
and thought, but not who he was. He was Augustus
Waters, and like you and all the people you know and
have met, he was too amazing and too complex to
describe.
Cara is a senior at Pike High School who
spends her time participating in a number of
music related activities such as Jazz Band.
She believes that the support of her family and
friends has encouraged her to do more than
she thought she could.
The Ant
Martha Yoder Maust
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
Proverbs 6:6-8, NIV
A Paraguayan of Germanic origin read this text and
took from it the lesson, “Be industrious! Work hard
even with little supervision, and store up for the
future.”
An indigenous Paraguayan, perhaps of Enhlet or
Nivacle origin, responded, “Our people are like the
ant. We gather food where we find it and share it with
our community, and we do not pay attention to
artificial boundaries imposed by rulers.”
Martha Yoder Maust has been working as a
family physician at People’s Health Center
for 30 years. “I believe we get a closer
approximation of the truth when we listen to
people from different places and
backgrounds.”
Martha attends Shalom
Mennonite Church.
8 MennoExpressions February 1, 2015
Satire
Dan Hess
As we all know, satire lit a dreadful
match in Paris. Seventeen people
lost their lives. Families and
community will suffer for a long
time.
While much of the world sided with
the Charlie Hebdo satirists, I pulled
away to think once again about the
two faces of satire, the literary genre
of ridicule.
On the one hand, satire can
communicate truth with an impact
unmatched by any other genre.
David Brooks, a noted New York
Times columnist, says, “Satirists and
ridiculers expose our weakness and
vanity when we are feeling proud.
They puncture the self-puffery of
the successful. They level social
inequality by bringing the mighty
low. When they are effective they
help us address our foibles
communally, since laughter is one
of the ultimate bonding
experiences.”
On the other hand, satire
intentionally wounds. Tom Plato, an
author, professor and editorial page
editor for ma jor America n
newspapers, wrote, “At their
lampooning best, which is when
they are at their meanest, they
hardly ever show an mercy — only
respect for the truth... even if it is
the truth as they see it. They don’t
care how you see it. There are no
soft edges to their work. And they
know how to hurt. Sorry to say, but
most of them enjoy it, at least the
good ones with whom I worked.”
Most of us remember an event in
which we were taunted or teased.
We remember because it hurt.
“You’re too fat to play this game.”
“Are your shoes hand-me-downs
from your grandma?”
Satire is a most sophisticated
taunting tool with power to offend,
bully and humiliate. Sometimes
receivers of satire don’t know
whether to laugh or cry.
For example, Republican cartoonists
are likely to draw President
Obama’s ears much larger than
would Democratic cartoonists. If
this ridicule bothers the President,
he hasn’t made it known. But surely
a young insecure school boy would
smart were an older person to tease
him because of his big ears.
As for satirizing another person’s
religion, I think Pope Francis offers
good advice: “Don’t toy with
religion.”
In my world view which honors
social responsibility we do well to
apply a universal imperative to our
work: do unto others as you would
have them do to you. I too regard
freedom of speech as a basic human
right. But I also see the other side of
this coin: my freedom should not
injure you.
“Although satire is found everywhere in
social media, I encounter it mainly in
print. I read the Indianapolis Star,
New York Times, Wall Street
Journal, Atlantic and The
Economist. Satire in church
publications almost always bombs. I’m
not one to make a list of my beliefs.
However, I hold firmly
and joyfully to the
truth that friends are
my wealth. I happen
to be extremely rich.”
Dan attends Shalom
Mennonite Church.
Less Stuff, More Life; continued
from page 3
the fear that I “might be missing
something” if I didn’t buy this or
that. If I encountered something I
really wanted, I put it on a wish list
I kept in a small journal for future
consultation.
When I did make purchases, I chose
quality over quantity. Whenever
possible, I chose items that were fair
trade, environmentally friendly,
local or from businesses who treat
employees fairly, even if it meant
paying more. Most importantly, I
was now doing all of this by choice,
not out of necessity. All the
simplifying ideas I’d read those
years prior suddenly came to life.
The results I’ve experienced from
minimizing are the reasons I
continue. My life of “less stuff” is
now fuller of “more life.” Now that
I spend less time shopping and
organizing, I have more time to rest
and reflect, more time to relax with
Aaron and the pups, more time to
breathe, more time to hone my
teaching skills, more time to take in
the beauty of nature, more time to
enjoy music, family and friends.
Less physical clutter has created less
mental clutter. Buying less for
myself prompts me to give more
freely to others. Minimizing has
finally allowed me to get off the
hamster wheel, at least most days. I
can’t imagine ever choosing to get
back on.
Melissa maintains a full piano studio in
North Indy/Carmel, teaching 50
students a week. If she’s not teaching,
she’s usually relaxing with Aaron and
the pups by the fire or in
the backyard, depending
on the season. “I think my
‘truths’ have evolved
greatly as of late – to put
it simply, less stuff leaves
more room for life.”
February 1, 2015 MennoExpressions 9
Are Science and Faith Conflicting Truths?
Randy Stoesz
Science and faith are conflicting
truths. Or are they? Recently Sara
Wenger Shenk, president of AMBS,
quoted Niels Bohr in her sermon
here at FMC: “The opposite of a
correct statement is a false
statement. But the opposite of a
profound truth may well be another
profound truth.”
Science and religion have certainly
been at odds with each other, from
Copernicus and his theory of a
heliocentric universe, to the current
conflicting ideas of intelligent
design and evolution. Science
produces useful models of reality
through observation. Faith is the
firm belief in something for which
there is no proof. Science formulates
theories and laws to describe
natural phenomena. “Faith is the
assurance of things hoped for, the
conviction of things not
seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Somewhere in between science and
religion may be something akin to
magical thinking. Magical thinking
operates in terms of cause and effect
(which is the domain of science), but
is a belief (faith) that wishes can
affect reality. For example, if a
young child wants very much for
something to happen, and it does,
the child believes he or she caused it
to happen. Adults may practice
magical thinking as well; just ask
your favorite Colts fans if they have
a ritual they invoke to try to help
their team. Magical thinking in
adults has been argued to provide
people with a sense of control over
their environment. Magical thinking
by itself can be wild and out of
control. And enemies of religion see
all the good effects of faith as
tainted by a supposed dependence
on beliefs about the supernatural. If
magical thinking is substituted
completely
for
either science or
religion, we risk
heightening
the
conflict
between
them.
Many
famous
people have denied
the conflict between
science and religion.
Carl Sagan stated,
“The notion that
science
and
spiritua lity
are
somehow mutually
exclusive does a
disservice to both.”
Niels Bohr further stated, “What
you get from religion is nothing like
what you get from technology or
science. Science gives us
information about objective facts.
Other things can be regarded as
more important in religious life:
morality, cultural identity,
philosophical consolation, ecstatic
experiences, social support systems,
etc.” Recently Pope Francis
declared, “Evolution in nature is not
inconsistent with the notion of
creation, because evolution requires
the creation of beings that evolve.”
Rather than observing conflict
between science and faith, I believe
they can actually complement each
other. While it is never advisable to
substitute spiritual healing for
standard medical care, an active
spiritual commitment is beneficial in
preventing mental and physical
illness, improving recovery, and
enhancing the ability to cope with
illness. As science marches forward,
many seeming miracles wind up
having scientific explanations. Still
others are shown to be elaborate
hoaxes. Even so, belief in miracles
continues and many miracles
Still Life
Annabella Habegger
haven’t been explained. It seems
science can try to explain the “how”
of complex systems of disease, but
religion has the language to address
the “why.”
Why do I believe in God? I cannot
really explain that question. No one
can. That is what makes it faith.
And each person has their own faith
experience. But in my mind, I
believe faith and science do not
oppose each other at all. They are
not opposites, but more like parallel
paths: two great truths running side
by side. One can readily change
lanes from one profound truth to
another. One can simultaneously
appreciate the logic of science and
medicine, and benefit from the
beauty of faith and religion.
Rand y Stoesz is a
pediatrician and enjoys
biking and woodworking. A
current truth for him is that
“the world needs more
tolerance.”
10 MennoExpressions February 1, 2015
On a path to cultural competency
Haley Bastin
Goshen College’s campus has been
alive with social action movements
this past semester. Students have
organized events for the 43
missing students in Mexico,
campus-wide gender discussions,
“Carry That Weight”, and local
protests for the verdict in
Ferguson. My closest friends and I
sat and watched President Obama
present the executive order for
Deferred Action for Parental
Accountability to the entire nation.
I’ve seen multiple opinion pieces
in the college’s newspaper, The
Record, standing for and against
an open hiring policy of LGBTQ
professors at Goshen. For my
degree in social work, I have
attended an anti-racism retreat
and learned that, despite my best
intentions, I will never truly be
able to understand the pain and
prejudice that comes with being
nonwhite. I may even
unintentionally hurt those closest
to me; knowing that having good
intentions does not heal that
wound.
As students, we hold events and
remain in dialogue because the
copious list of “-ism’s” is still very
much alive. As time has gone on,
these issues haven’t gone away –
they’ve broadened, deepened, and
become more complex. One could
argue that perhaps, overall, my
generation is more accepting.
However, I am certain that I could
equally argue that these accepting
and well-meaning folks do just as
much damage as those who
intentionally inflict harm. Saying
“I'm colorblind” or “I love
everyone” is the exact opposite of
cultural competency - it’s a blind
spot. It is an upfront
denial of difference,
and therefore a lack of
appreciation for the
whole person.
When I came home
from college this past
December,
I
was
elated to find “Black
Lives Matter” posted
on FMC’s sign out
front, even giddy
when I heard Pastor
Steve’s
sermon
“Which
Jesus
Is
Advent
Really
About?” I was excited
because I was proud
to be a part of a
congregation
that
recognized
there
needed to be a
discussion, that silence was saying
everything was okay in the world,
and we as Christians and
humanitarians had no qualms
with it. I am proud of members of
our congregation letting their
minds be stretched in ways that
can be severely uncomfortable.
Engaging outside of your comfort
zone isn’t easy, no matter how
young or old you are, because
difference is always hard. Even as
we gain cultural competency,
feeling completely capable is a
false notion - because
understanding differences is a
lifelong endeavor.
I was asked to write this piece
from a generational perspective,
and find that I am only able to
write it from my perspective. My
generation is still crippled by the
same issues as we had 100 years
Baby Got Bank
Bethany Habegger
ago, which some would deny;
those issues just look a little
different. It is the denial that those
still issues exist is what
p er p et u a t e s t h e m y t h o f
progression. Instead of validating
the stories of the oppressed, we’re
congratulating ourselves on all our
progress. Please stop justifying
that “of course they would say
that” and start saying “of course I
wouldn’t want to hear that” and
acknowledge the privilege you
may possess.
Haley is a senior at
Goshen College.
February 1, 2015 MennoExpressions 11
The Way Church Lifts Me Up
Catherine Swanson
The Way Church is a welcoming church. From the
minute the door was opened by a greeter, through
several opportunities to hug and shake hands, to the end
of the service when Pastor Rickey McCray thanked First
Mennonite for our visiting ministry, I never felt alone or
unappreciated. The pleasure of community filled the
room.
The call to worship opened with a
graceful phrase: “Good Morning,
The Way Church is now in
worship,” followed by a scripture
reading and a prayer.
And then we sang. Oh, how we
sang! My God Reigns. Our God is an
Awesome God. We did not hold
back. We did not deprive ourselves
of the opportunity to feel the music
and the praise. Although there were
singers at the front, we were
encouraged not to fear that our
voices didn’t hit the mark. How
could anyone be unmoved by the
words “I want to praise, gotta let it
out!”?
“hearty amens” and to accept that we are being called to
trust in the blessings we can’t see waiting for us.
And there was a moment in this service for answering
calls. After the preached word, an altar call was
announced for anyone who felt led to accept Jesus or to
join the church. A woman came forward to join the
church and was embraced (more hugs!) and
acknowledged with clapping and amens. Following the
altar call, several members of the congregation stood at
the front and those who wanted to join with them in
personal prayer were encouraged to come forward.
Young and old, singles and couples
came forward to pray privately with
the people at the front. I was
especially impressed when couples
and families came together for
prayer.
And then the offering: with music so
upbeat I felt like dancing my
offering into the basket at the front.
The announcements followed: Bible
study, helping the homeless, Martin
Luther King, Jr. celebrations, vision
board Sunday and the health tip of
the week. I was especially taken by
these last two because they represent
the idea that spiritual community is
healthy when it also recognizes
physical and life issues. Each family
Nor were our bodies unmoved.
Divided had been asked to make a vision
There wasn’t a lot of sitting down
Wood, wire, graphite, ink, toys board to indicate those things that the
during this service and not a lot of
Annabella Habegger family wished to work toward or pray
quiet time. I loved it (and that’s saying
toward in the coming year. By sharing
a lot, given my background)! If the
the vision boards, the entire community could join with
drums and electric keyboard didn’t get us out of our
the family in setting forth these visions prayerfully. The
seats, if the songs didn’t cause us to start swaying and
health tip for this week was about staying hydrated, and
dancing, the sermon had enough high moments to bring
a man detailed how one could go about getting the
us to our feet.
number of cups of water needed for each of us.
Matthew 6:… do not store up for yourself treasures… do not
And then, a benediction. The service of Christian
worry about your life... look to the birds of the air, they neither
worship was over but the fellowship was not. Have I
sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father
already mentioned the hugs? Of course I have. But I
feeds them.
don’t think I can adequately describe how often we
A challenging scripture, of course. Who isn’t worried
hugged and how many people approached me to offer
about the survival part of life? But the message from
hugs. Nor do I feel that mere words can describe the
Pastor Rickey was uplifting and practical. He did not ask
atmosphere of exuberance in worship. I felt embraced,
anyone to simply slide through life in an irresponsible
inspired and revitalized. I could easily return to worship
way. He suggested that we leave the past in the past, ask
with The Way Church again.
for guidance in moving around or over obstacles, and—
this was important to me—“prepare the table for your
blessing.” God wants us to live up to the best in
Catherine Swanson's chapbook, A Map in the
ourselves. God will help us on our journey. This message
Wind, is forthcoming soon from Finishing
was delivered in such a vibrant and joyful way that it
Line Press. www.finishinglinepress.com
was impossible not to respond with (as we say at FMC)
12 MennoExpressions February 1, 2015
The Truths About Cinnamon Rolls
Mary Liechty
Last year, my spouse and I purchased the cinnamon
roll bakeoff from the MYF auction at First Mennonite
Church. The bakeoff was a competition between
Robin Jones’ and Nate Beachy’s renowned treats. My
mouth watered at the prospect of cinnamon roll
aroma wafting through the house.
Our family participated in the eating of said cinnamon
rolls on Thanksgiving morning and worked their way
through them each day of the holiday weekend in a
tremendous display of eating will.
They were
determined to give a fair and balanced appraisal and
took their tasks seriously, often taking seconds to
adequately assess the products. We had a voting sheet
on the kitchen table where comments could be made
and votes registered. This is where things got a little
“sticky”, as it were.
Figurine on the Landscape #1
Lisa Habegger
One family member wrote decisively, “Nate’s
cinnamon rolls were the best because they had the
most cinnamon and sugar.” Another wrote, “Nate’s
rolls had too much cinnamon.”
It seemed for each statement there was a counter
statement.
In one case, a taster stated, “I liked Robin’s rolls
better, but Nate’s topping,” while another shared that
they “liked Nate’s rolls better but would have
preferred less topping, like Robin’s rolls.”
What did we learn? Well, for one thing, the Liechty
family is not taste-homogenous. We are not all the
same in our tastes, but we still like each other…and
cinnamon rolls. We cannot settle the cinnamon roll
debate. There are many truths. We will continue to
work together while we discover them.
The comments continued to confuse the issue of
which product was the best. For instance, 3-year-old
Jack said he liked Robin’s best, but cried the next day
when I gave him Robin’s roll. Honestly, I think he
just liked the idea of having both rolls on his plate at
the same time.
86-year-old Miriam said she preferred Nate’s when it
came to scraping out the bottom of the pan and eating
what was collected, whereas 30-year-old Emma felt
there should have been more roll and less goo in
Nate’s.
Norah, age 1, seemed perfectly happy with both since
they each could be equally smashed down into her
eating chair crevasses where adults could not easily
retrieve them.
Nate and Robin will have to offer this at the next MYF
fundraiser. We may need another year to assess the
products.
Mary Liechty is “retired”, and spends her time with the board
and volunteering at Global Gifts, as well as visiting her
children, grandchildren and mother. “I’m
trying to continue to learn and grow and
appreciate friends who help me do that. I
am often living in the gray of conflicting
truths. It’s pretty clear to me that a fear of
new concepts and fear of change contribute
to halting the search for truth.”